CAIN – Rise up (Lazarus)

CAIN is Rock and Contemporary Christian music, not to be confused with the Italian black metal/thrash band of the same name.  Forming in 2014, CAIN released two albums, including:

• CAIN (2020)
• Rise Up (2021)

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1. What message does the song communicate?

This song uses the literal events surrounding Jesus’ raising of Lazarus to speak on our spiritual resurrection.

The song begins by describing our spiritual state before knowing Christ.  We were dead in sin, clinging onto darkness like it was our best friend.  God’s light was a scary proposition, requiring exposure.  Who wants to admit they were wrong?

Yet, Jesus is calling us out of darkness and into His marvelous Light.  Our hearts of stone are flesh.  Our sins were washed, white as snow.  The last enemy, death, is defeated.  Through the love of Christ, we’re made new.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

All the lyrics conform to Biblical teaching.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

In the dark and all alone
Growing comfortable
Are you too scared to move
And walk out of this tomb
Buried underneath
The lies that you believed
Safe and sound
Stuck in the ground
Too lost to be found

Describes the spiritually dead.  They are content in their sin and are afraid of the light of God that will expose them (John 3:20).

[Pre-Chorus]

You’re just asleep
And it’s time to leave

“Asleep” is another word used for the dead (John 11:11-14, Acts 7:59-60, 1 Corinthians 15:18, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  CAIN is asking the spiritually dead to wake up.

[Chorus]

Come on and rise up
Take a breath, you’re alive now
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus

Not literally, but figuratively.  Lazarus was raised physically (John 11:43-44).  We are raised spiritually (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

You’re brand new

That is, a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The power of death couldn’t hold you

Jesus defeated death, rendering it powerless over us (Isaiah 25:8, Hosea 13:14, Luke 20:35-36, 1 Corinthians 15:24-26, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, 2 Timothy 1:10, and Hebrews 2:14).

Can’t you hear the voice of Jеsus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus

Repeats lines 3 and 4.

Risе up, rise up, (Oh, oh), rise up

See line 1.

Out from the grave like Lazarus

Repeats line 4.

[Verse 2]

When He said your name
The thing that filled your veins
Was more than blood
It’s the kind of love
That washes sin away

Combines Acts 15:17 with John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10.

Now the door is open wide
The stones been rolled aside

The doorway that sealed Lazarus’ tomb was removed before he rose up (John 11:39-41).  In the same way, the way of salvation is open to us through Jesus (see the second set of Verses on commentary on Verse 2, lines 1-5).

The old is gone
The Light has come

Combines 2 Corinthians 5:17 with John 1:9.

So come on and

See Chorus, line 1.

[Bridge]

He’s calling us to walk out of the dark

…and into His light.  See Pre-Chorus.

He’s given us new resurrected hearts

That is, hearts of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33, and Hebrews 8:10).

Oh, whoa

References Casper the friendly ghost.

He’s calling us to walk out of the dark
He’s given us new resurrected hearts
Oh

Repeats lines 1-3.

[Post-Chorus]

Come on and rise up

Repeats Chorus, line 1.

Take a breath, you’re alive now

Breathing is a sign of life.  Spiritual breathing starts when the Holy Spirit lives in us (Acts 6:5, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 5:18, and 2 Timothy 1:14).

Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
You’re brand new
The power of death couldn’t hold you
Can’t you hear the voice of Jesus calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus
Rise up
He’s calling you out
Rise up, rise up
Getting up from the grave like Lazarus
Oooh
You don’t have to stay there
Rise up
Oh, we hear You calling
Rise up
Calling us, calling us
Out from the grave like Lazarus

These last lines either repeat previous lines or concepts.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

This song is unhelpful to unbelievers, even if they understood what it meant.  While it’s a great reminder to believers about their former life of sin and current state of forgiveness, it doesn’t call the unsaved to clear action.  Yes, they will know it’s Christian because it talks about Jesus, resurrection, and rolled stones.  Yes, they might identify as creatures in darkness and perhaps desire to enter God’s light.  Yes, I’m aware that songs aren’t sermons and should reflect Biblical truth (which it does).  But, unbelievers will probably recognize that this song wasn’t written for them.  They don’t take a breath, alive now.  They don’t have resurrected hearts.

Score: 4/10

4. What does this song glorify?

This song glorifies God, that it calls us out of the shadows into revitalization.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

CAIN’s Rise up (Lazarus) is a great song for believers.  It reminds us where we were: in darkness and comfortable with our sin.  We are called out by Jesus, into His wonderful love and light.  This brings glory to God.  Unbelievers will probably not identify with it, even if they understood CAIN’s main point.

This song might be worth considering for corporate worship.  Seeker-sensitive churches may want to preface this with an explanation/sermonette on how to receive Christ before worshipping with it, making this song prophetic.

Final Score: 9/10

Artist Info

Track: Rise up (Lazarus) (listen to the song)

Artist: CAIN

Album: Rise Up

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2021

Duration: 3:26

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*Copyright © 2020 Madison Cain Music (ASCAP) Taylor Cain Music (ASCAP) All Essential Music (ASCAP) EGH Music Publishing (BMI) Schwarz I N C Publishing (BMI) Keep the Pulse on the Hulse (BMI) Be Essential Songs (BMI) Logan Cain Music (ASCAP) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.